A warm, fiery glowing Garnet that is often misidentified as Cherry Zircon.
A stunning, light, peachy orange through to cinnamon red member of the Grossular group of Garnets, Hessonite is a real collector’s gemstone that, as with all Garnets, achieves its vivid colours entirely from the work of Mother Nature.
Throughout history the gem has also been referred to as “Gomedhaka” or “Gomethakam” in India and has been believed to prevent laziness, increase one’s passion and to change one’s fortunes. Astrologers believed that, when worn as a talisman, your life will be both happier and longer. Hessonite was also believed, by ancient Hindus, to actually be formed from the fingernails of the demon Vala.
Hessonite has a slightly lower hardness than most other Garnets and it is due to this that its name is unfortunately derived from the Greek word ‘hesson’ meaning inferior. However, the gem still registers 7 on the Mohs scale, so is anything but inferior. Its magical, almost mystical, colours certainly make it one of my personal favourite members of the Garnet family. One of the main discoveries of Hessonite has been in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and small amounts have also been found in Brazil and California.
